Jakarta, IO – The story based on ancient Indonesian literature about Panji and Sekartaji was successfully staged in the form of a musical theater at Katara Opera House, Doha, Qatar, from May 23-24. The show is aimed to promote Indonesian culture, as well as strengthening bilateral ties with Qatar.
The play entitled “Hayati: Panji Searching for the Essence of Love” is part of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture events, an annual cultural exchange held at the initiative of the Qatar Museum.
Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar Ridwan Hassan said the musical theater is about the search for the meaning of life which is found in serving others. The story of Panji and Sekartaji has also been named the intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in the 2017 Memory of the World Program.
“I am proud to present this special performance, which was specially created for the people of Qatar as part of the 2023 Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture,” Ridwan said, according to the website of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
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Directed by Rama Soeprapto, the character Panji is played by Achmad Dipoyono and Sekartaji by Kadek Dewi Aryani.
“What I want to convey in this production is how we can maintain the story’s origins from classical Javanese and Balinese traditions, but imbued it with a modern touch through musical and visual elements. I hope the audience can not only feel and understand the essence of the story, but also fully enjoy the choreography,” said the producer Bayu Pontiagust. (bp)